Behind the
Scene ... "Live to be 150...Can You Do It?"an ABC
Barbara Walters Special

Elsa Hoffmann,
Barbara Walters and
Joan Textor at the
video taping of the
ABC Barbara Walters
Special

A letter from Elsa's
daughter, Joan,
about their trip to
New York

My mother is
centenarian Elsa B.
Hoffmann who
appeared on the
Barbara Walters
Special and is
quoted in the
article on ABC.com
about the show.
Wherever Elsa goes,
whether traveling
inside or outside
the U.S., or
socializing,
shopping, at church,
or elsewhere, people
express wonder and
joy in meeting her.
Their eyes light up
and smiles beam,
asking "What is your
secret?"

She
inspires
everyone
young
and old
with her
much
younger
than 100
appearance
and
demeanor.
We would
like to
acknowledge
these
friends
and
strangers
alike;
we
greatly
appreciate
their
amazing,
enthusiastic
response
and
respect. Their
admiration
and
affection
is
wonderful!
At the
grocery
store
around
her
birthday,
a group
of
people
broke
out
singing
"Happy
Birthday"
to her
as she
waited
in the
deli
line!
Fabulous!
I accompanied my mother to the
TV
taping
of the
show and
met
Barbara
Walters
and "The
Fab
Five" of
centenarians
featured.
Each of
these
centenarians
affected
others
in a
great
way
through
their
various
fields
and
pursuits,
past and
present,
whether
it be in
higher
education,
fashion,
entertainment,
music,
business,
or
operating
resort
vacationing. Each
contributed
to the
benefit
of
peoples'
lives.
It was a marvelous experience
for
mother
and
myself
to meet
the
other
centenarians
and
their
devoted
relatives
and to
party
with
them at
The Yale
Club and
Tavern
On The
Green
with our
friend
and
author
on
centenarians,
Lynn
Peters
Adler
(founder
and
centenarian
expert
of the
National
Centenarians
Awareness
Project
-
adlercentenarians.org),
along
with her
husband
Jim. To
meet
Barbara
Walters,
producer
Rob
Wallace
and
Jennifer
Joseph
as well
as the
entire
ABC TV
entourage
... you
just
can't
imagine
the
thrill
of
seeing
the
exciting
creation
of the
taping
experience. Of
course
Barbara
Walters
is THE
BEST and
is even
more
beautiful
and
charming
in
person. THANK
YOU,
BARBARA,
for your
marvelous
special!
....
once
again,
it is my
main
wish to
acknowledge
the
people
who have
given
mother (EBH!)
great
joy in
their
overwhelming
compliments
and
accolades!

Joan

Go to
our Blog for updates on the
centenarians and their
activities,
as well as comments about the
Barbara Walters Special and
more!”